PARLIAMENT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21909, 19 September 1934, Page 13

PARLIAMENT

LOWER BEER DUTY bright day in house INTERESTING DIVISION TOBACCO AND WHEAT DEFEAT OF AMENDMENTS [bv telegraph—special reporter] WELLINGTON, Tuesday The brightest place of entertainment jn Wellington to-dav was the House of Representatives,. where members debated in lively and humorous fashion the merits of the Government's proposal to reduce by 3d a gallon import and excise duties on beer. This proposal had been under discussion tor over three hours on Friday, when the debate was inclined to be heated and personal, but the House was in much better spirit to-day, when # further three hours was devoted to the subject before a division resulted in retention of the clause by 41 votes to >)J a wider margfi than seemed likely to be obtained when the question was first broached. Neither the Government nor the Opposition could keep party lines intact, with the result that the unusual spectacle was witnessed of Labour members contradicting each other and private Government members informing the Minister of Customs, Mr. Coates, publicly, that they did not agree with his logic. Labour Ranks Divided Five Labour members, Messrs. H. T. Armstrong (Christchurch East), C. H. Chapman (Wellington North), J O'Brien (Westland), F. W. Schramm (Auckland East), and P. C. Webb (Buller), voted with the main Go%-ern-jiient party for the reduction of the duties, while* four Government members, Messrs. T. D. Burnett (Temuka). H. G. Dickie (Patea), H. Holland (Christchurch North) and P. McSkimpiing (Clutha), voted in the opposite direction. The Independents were fairly evenly divided, Messrs. A. M. Samuel (Thames). W. A. Veitch (Wanganui), C. A. Wilkinson (Egniont), and 11. A. Wright (Wellington Suburbs), supporting the reduction, and Messrn. H. Atmore (Nelson), A. Stallworthy (Eden), and H. M. Rushworth (Country —[Bay of Islands) opposing it. The main point made in opposition to the proposal was that other taxation concessions should be made before such benefit# were given to the brewing industry. On the other hand, Mr. Coates claimed the stop was necessary,

firstly, to assist the hop expert industry, and, secondly, to safeguard revenue in the same way as Britain had found it necessary to take acticn last year. Another Luxury Item Having disposed of the beer issue, the House turned its attention to another luxurv item', namely, tobacco, i.'.r. W. E. Barnard (Labour— Napier) sought to secure a reduction of 8d a po ind in excise duties. In reply, Mr. Coates said the eifect ot the passing of the amendment would be to give a free gift to the manufacturers, who did not. require that concession. The amendment provided no safeguards whereby the grower might be assisted. The manufacturer might or migit not pass on the concession. There would be no outside competition to ensure "hat. Mr. Coates claimed that as a result of alterations made following recent representations the schedule as it affected tobacco was as fair and equitable as was possible, keeping in mind the revenue the Government was legitimately entitled to expect from tobacco duties. . In a division Mr. Barnard's amendment was rejected by 35 votes to 29. The voting was on party lines, except that Mr. K. J. Holyoake (Motueka), who represents the main tobacco-g rowing district in the Dominion, supported the amendment. All Clauses Dealt With Although the Government secured urgency at the beginning of tlie day with a view to ensuring reasonable progress events showed there was no need to apply the spur and before midnight all clauses 6f the bill had been dealt with. A new clause proposed by Mr. W. Nash, with reference to wheat duties, was ruled out of order on the grounds that it involved appropriation. The House then turned its, attention to the schedules of the bill, which set out in detail the new rates of customs duty. A division was taken on an amendment moved bv Mr. Wilkinson to abolish the sliding scale of duty on wheat, but this was defeated bv 45 votes to 17 , Those voting for Mr. Wilkinson s amendment were: —Messrs. Barnard. W. J Broadfoot. Chapman, P. 1' raser, W. J. Jordan, F. Langstone, 11. McKeen. H. G. R. Mason, W. Nash, A. S. Richards, Rushworth, Siimuel, Schramm. R. Semple, Veitch, Wilkinson and Wright. A further amendment was then moved by Mr. Wilkinson to replace the sliding scale of duty on flour by a fixed dutj/ of £2 10s a ton British and £3 10s a ton general tariff, and this was defeated by 50 votes to 11. The House rose at 12.35.

SILENCE BROKEN MR. McSKIMMING'S SPEECH VOTING AND CONSCIENCE [BY TELEGRAPH SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON. Tuesday After sitting silent for nearly three months the subject of the proposed re<l notion in beer duties provoked Mr. 1 . MrSkinitning (Government —Clutna) to make his first speech of the session m the House of Representatives this afternoon.

Mr. McSkimming rose to refute a statement by Mr. A. J. Stall worthy (Independent—Eden) that votes on the clause of the Customs Acts Amendment J'ill relating to beer duties were already determined. He said he himself would vote according to his conscience. Whether or not the fate of a Government depended on it, he had always acted in the House according to his lights and /he was quite prepared to nnswer to his constituency for anything ( M- . ~1 Mr. McSkimming said the logic of the Minister of Customs, Mr. Coates, WJ |S not very convincing—he would ha\ e been better advised to leave his case without putting forward any reasons. There were other taxes which could be reduced with greater urgency. treatment in hospital COMPLAINT FROM AUCKLAND [BY TKLEGKA.PH —SPKCIAt REPORTER 1 WELLINGTON. Tuesday Compensation on account of alleged Unskilful treatment received at the Auckland Hospital was sought by Sybil K. Lennox, pf Auckland, in a petition frhicli was presented to Parliament early this session. The Health Committee reported today that it had no recommendation to make and tne House adopted the rePort.